If you’re growing your small business there are several ways to push yourself toward success. For many entrepreneurs there comes a time when hiring personnel becomes a necessity and when you do, here are three tips to make certain your new hires are on the same page for success as you are:

You need to define the roles for your new hires. Whether you’re hiring to fill an independent contractor role or a full or part time position at your growing business, you need to define the roles and tasks for the new person. Clearly defined – and written roles – complete with outcome metrics helps the new hire know what’s expected.

You need to know what you need and why before you hire. Many entrepreneurs hire because they have an immediate need for help but aren’t certain for how long this need will last or what is crucial to the company’s overall growth. You need to have more of an idea than “I need to hire” to make it a successful fit for the both of you. Clearly delineate the key roles in the job ad you’re placing.

Have a training and mentoring program in place. A training program could be an ongoing process, but you need to train a new employee so he or she fits into the corporate culture from day one. If the employee doesn’t have an outline or an understanding of what you want from them. A training program offers them support and provides development in the position and in the role you’ve created for him or her.

Employees can make or break your company on its path toward growth. Take time and hire with care.

Every year – usually around January 1 – individuals set goals for themselves for business and personal reasons. By mid-January many people find that they’ve abandoned those goals, and the reasons for this can usually be narrowed down to five reasons for failure. Here are some ways to help you achieve your goals, including:

You must write them down. Once a goal is committed to writing, the permanence it creates helps bring it to fruition. A written goal provides clarity and detail.

The goal must meet certain criteria. It should have a specific beginning and end time as well as measurable steps in between.

Keep your goals positive. For example, don’t state, “I won’t lose any customers this quarter,” put it like this, “I will bring in X number of new customers and continue to serve my existing base.”

Are you emotionally attached to your goals? Look for a specific “why” when making and setting your goals. Will it meet a need in your community, does it mesh with your business’s mission statement?

You need to truly own your own goals. Even if you’re working for a company, the goals set – even if mandated by an employer – can still be made your own. The goals should advance your personal mission.

When is the last time you wrote down a goal? Did you see it through to the end?

Did you know saying no makes you more productive? It can. It can help relieve the burden of busyness and help you check more items off your to-do list. Saying no will also help you focus your entrepeneurial efforts and give you laser focus in your business — a must if you want to succeed in your unique niche.

Are you overwhelmed with too much too do and not enough time to do it? Many entrepreneurs are. Those in my coaching program talk about that regularly. “I just can’t get it all done.” Maybe, I tell them, you don’t need to do it ALL. Maybe the reason you’re so busy and feeling so overwhelmed is because you’re not saying no.

Saying No Makes You More Productive

You could be suffering the “Yes syndrome.” What is it? It’s when a project or offer comes along and you just can’t find the word “no” in your vocabulary even if you truly don’t want to say yes. You find you can’t step back and turn it down. Why? FOMO — fear of missing out. Fear of losing an income stream. Having a continual need to please clients even when they ask you to take on a project that is outside of your wheelhouse or outside of the scope of the work you typically do.

Saying “yes” all of the time leads to burnout and resentment.

When should you say no? Here are a few times to consider:

Is the opportunity in harmony with your business and your life mission? If you’re saying yes to something that feels ethically wrong, you need to say no. Will saying yes to this opportunity work within your life mission? If so, say yes.

Were you offered this opportunity through reliable connections in whom you have trust? Will your family and friends support your decision? This question should be asked especially if the opportunity will pull you away from family and friend events.

Will saying yes help meet the needs of the culture in which you thrive?

Does this opportunity fit in with your life and business priorities? You should take time to list your top three life and business priorities so that every opportunity that comes your way will need to be filtered through that lens to see if it’s a fit.

Don’t continue to say “yes” out of habit. Say a friendly, but firm “no” and don’t feel you need to offer reasons why or excuses. If, however the opportunity might be a fit for your life and your business ask for time to consider it.